In Poul Anderson's History of Technic Civilization, science and technology merely enable civilizations to rise and fall on a vaster scale whereas, in some of Anderson's later works, mankind is threatened or even superseded by his own technological creations.
In CS Lewis' That Hideous Strength, Ransom lists modern evils to Merlin:
machines
crowded cities
empty thrones
false writings
barren beds
false promises
true miseries
alienation from Heaven and Earth
worship of the works of our own hands
We should have retained monarchies and should not practice contraception? Wells and Anderson look forward whereas Lewis looked backward.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I would argue with both you and Lewis about monarchies and other forms of gov't. My view is that what MATTERS is legitimacy, is this or that form of the state considered LEGITIMATE in a particular nation? I argue that might be monarches for some, republics for others, or even some kind of oligarchy. What does the form of a state matter as long as its people believes it to be RIGHT and does not govern too terribly badly?
And I regard contraceptives with disgust, an unnatural interference with a NECESSARY and natural process. People who don't want children should simply not have sexual intercourse. Also, the widespread use of contraceptive drugs and devices has also led to "legalization" of abortion, a horror I absolutely reject as nothing but plain murder.
I also disagree with what seems to be Lewis' contempt for science and technology. Only by the use of such things, rightly guided, can we hope to even cope with crowded cities and "true miseries."
Ad astra! Sean
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